Can closure and method of making the same



Nov; 10, 1936. W- M- VOGEL 2,0605145 CAN CLOSURE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed OC.. 19, 1935 lmmuluuunl'lm.... 20 f' W WH f1.9 16H 2f |i Il'. 22

il 3 1|li| 'l 1 "NNUU H la 7 25 2s 25 is I8 1 31 M m a ,9 2 33 l ,23 v lNVEN-roR @y /wm ingu z/gd Patented Nov. 10, 1.936

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN CLOSURE AND DIETHOD F MAKING THE SAME This invention relates to cans and to an improved method of making closure means therefor. Theobject of the invention is to provide a simple, effective form of closure for the types of cans customarily used for containing liquids, and

where'the cover when initially applied must provide a secure, liquid-tight twhile at the same time must permit-ofeasy manual removal and replacement. l

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple method of making the closures whereby I the number of manufacturing operations are decreased and considerable saving of sheet metal is also effected, resulting in a highly satisfactory closure at a lowered manufacturing cost. A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved means of applying the covers of the cans whereby a perfect seal is provided between the cover and its retaining ring, insuring a liquid tight fit of the cover and at the same time allowing its easy removal and replacement. y

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a sectional view through a dished disk from which l both the cover member and its retaining ring are produced; Fig.2 is a similar sectional view,

showing thefexpanding disks about to exert lat- '-35 eral pressure upon the flange of the cover and jdependeni inner flange of the retaining ring to laterally distortY both flanges; Fig. l5 is a view of the same structure as is disclosed in Fig. 4, Ishowing the flanges on the cover and retaining o ring after being distorted to vsecurely hold the cover in place within the ring; Fig. 6 is a view of a modified type of expanding disk employed for distorting the cover flange only; Fig. 7 is another form of disk which distorts the cover flange and the retaining ring in a slightly different manner; Fig; 8 shows another type of disk which forms interengagingannular ribs on the cover flange and on tle iiange of the retaining ring; and Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a modified structure wherein theinner edge ange on the retaining ring is extended upwardly, and a rounded bead is distorted out of the ange of the cover to lock be' neath the curved portion of the retaining ring flange.

metal from vwhich the cover and its retaining flange-are both formed. Disk I0 in its initial `form is merely a fiat circular section of metal.

and by means of a suitable forming die, it is` caused to assume the cupped form shown in Fig. 1, 5 having a raised central portion II surrounded by the laterally extended marginal flange I2. Member I0 is next cut into two parts, as shown in Fig. 2 by severance through its sidewall at a point between the closed end of the raised part l0 II and flange I2, along the line I3, the upper cup-shaped one of these parts indicated at Ilv being used for the formation of the cover, while -the lower ring-shaped part indicated at I5 being employed to produce the cover-retaining ring or 15 annulus. To form the cover as shown at I6 in Fig. 3, member I4 has the edge of its vertical iiange'll rolled to form the edge-reinforcing bead I8, and for the purpose of providing reinforcement, it may also be dished slightly as shown 20 at 23. Vertical ange I9 on member I5 constitutes the inner edge or termination of the coverretaining ring, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, while lange I2 is operated upon by a suitable die to shape it as clearly shown in Fig. 3 and to provide `25 the annular channel 20 and downwardly extending outer ange 2|.

The upper edge of the can 22 fits into channel 20 and is secured therein by seamingmethods Vwell known -in 'this art, whereby thelcover- 3 pushed into place within the retaining ring, the 35 partsof cover and'retaining ring then occupying the position shown in Fig. 4 where it will be seen that vertical flange I'I of the cover is surrounded by and lies in close contact with the downwardly extending fiange I9 of the retaining ring. By 40 the n'ext step in the method, distortion of the flange IT of the cover and in some cases, of the iiange I9 of the retaining ring, takes place. One Way in which this step is carried outis shown in Fig. 4. For this, a number of rotating shaping 45 disks 25 are employed, each of said disks having its peripheral edge so shaped as to engage a. portion of the flange I1 of the cover while rthe disks are being rotated and simultaneously spread apart from one anotherhorizontally, and 5o force a. part of said flange outwardly.

In Fig. 4 the edge or periphery 26 of each of the several disksvis so shaped that when the disks are thrust laterally, the edge 264 of each disk `will distort the flange I 'I of the cover member out- 55 wardly and also slightly distort the ange I! of the retaining ring outwardly, substantially as shown in Fig. 5, This lateral distortion ofthe two contacting flanges I1 and i8 will serve to so interlock the cover with the retaining ring that an eifective seal between the cover and ring is produced; At the same time iiange I1 possesses suilicient resiliency or springiness to permit the cqver to be easily pried up out of the retaining ring by the insertion of a suitable tool beneath the rolled or beaded edge Il of the cover.

In Fig. 7 another type of disk 46 is shown, the same having a stepped periphery 32 which serves to distort the flange oflthe cover as well as a part of the flange Il of the retaining ring to form an annular rib or bead 33 which engages with the outwardly distorted part IIa of the retaining r1ng In Fig. 8 the disk Il is shown provided wi an annular rib l! on its periphery, which by pressure of the disk against flanges I1 and IS distorts theseV flanges to form the interlocking beads Il and 31 on flanges I 9 and I1 respectively. In Fig. 9 the retaining ring Il diifers from that shown in the several figures ofthe drawing, since it has the nange IQdirected upwardly on curved 'shwnrin Figs; 4 to 8 inclusive,'the resiliency of the cover member flange I1 is suiiicient to enable it to be sprung or distorted to disengage the cover fromthe retainingringbytheuseof any manually operated prying tool. In Fig. 9 however, where iiange Il of the retaining ring is formed on a curved'line, the resiliency inthis' Y flange provides the springinesshnecessary to permit the cover to be sprung out of lits engagement with the flange by a prying movement.

The rotating shaping disks employed for the lateral distortion of the' cover iiange. or for the/- distortion of the coverflange and retaining ring'I flange, are made in various forms according to the manner in which it is desired to interengage the cover with its retaining ring. I, therefore, do not limit my invention to the use of any speciflc form of cover shaping disk, since it is obvious v that these disks may be varied in their peripheral shape to suit different requirements f or providing a greater or lesser effectiveness of seal for the can. 1

-By means of the process of manufacture herein outlined, it will be obvious that a cover and its retaining Vring can be economically and. eiecf tively produced from a single disk 'of metal vwithout any material waste, with a reduction in the steps normally required for the manufacture oi a closure of this character, andwith a resultant reduction in manufacturing 60st.

What I claim is:

l.The method of m a can 010mm? omprising, forming a disk into a cup-shaped member provided with a laterally extending annular flange, severing said member on a line parallel to the plane of the flange at a point between the flange and the closed end f the cup-.shaped member to form the member into a cup-shaped cover and an annular retaining ring, attaching said ring tothe top of a can in such a position that it is provided at its inner edge with a downwardly extending annular iiange, seating the cover within the ring1 with the closed end of the cover positioned below the lower edge of the 'downwardly extending flange on the'ring, and

laterallydistorting a partof the cover onlyand adjacent to its closed end to cause it tobe extended laterally below the lower edge of the ange on the ring.

2. In the method of making-a can closure, the steps of seating a cover member having a circumierential iiange within a retaining ring located on a can top, and distorting the flange on the cover member laterally to cause the torted portion to project beneath the lower edge of the retaining ring without distortion of the retaining ring.

3. In the method of making a can closure. the

'steps of attaching a iianged ring-shaped cover retainer to the top of a can, placing a cup-shaped cover member within said retainer so that a ange on said cover member is in contact with and extends co-extensively. with the flange on the retainer, and thereafter providing aninterlocking annular groove and bead onthe flanges closed end of the cup-shaped member to separatethe member into a vcup-shaped cover and an annular flanged retaining ring, attaching said' ring to the top of ,a can in such a position that its flangeis located at its inner edge, seating the -cover within the ring with the closed end of the cover positioned adjacent the lower edge of the flange on the ring, and laterally distorting a part of the cover` only to cause it to be extended' la erally below the flange on the ring.

5. A closure for cans comprising a ring secured to the top of a can body, said ring having a downwardly bent flange extending along its inner edge, a cup-shaped cover member ilttedwithin said ring, said cover-member having a verticallyv the insertion of the cover within the ring by abutment against the uptumed inner edge of the ring, the cover member having'a circumferential iiange extending from the bead, said flange being formed with an annular outwardlyl distorted portion ad'- 'of the cover member and retainer at a distance jacent its closed end for engagement beneath Lhe curled inner edge of the ring.

'7. A closure for cans comprising, a ring secured to the top of a can body and provided with an inner downwardly extending flange, a. cupshaped cover member fitted within said flange and having a closed bottom located below the lower edge o`f said flange, said cover` having a circumferential vertically disposed wall bearing against the flange and of greater depth than the width of the flange, said wall having a straight portion extending below the lower edge of the flange and a locking bead adjacent its upper edge, said flange being complementarily grooved to engage the locking bead on the walll of the cover.

8. A closure for cans comprising, a ring secured to the top of a can body, said ring having a downwardly bent flange extending along its inner edge; a cup-shaped cover member tted within said ring and having a closed lower end located below and spaced from the lower edge of the flange, said cover member having a vertically disposed circumferential wall bearing against the ange, with portions of the wall and flange distorted to interengage and hold the cover in place within the ange, said cover having undistorted or straight wall portions located below the lower edge of the flange.

WILLIAM MARTIN VOGEL. 

